Potato dropper and planter.



No. 817,612. PATENTED APR. 10, 1906.

P. B. ALBRIGHT & J. S. JOSEPH. POTATO DROPPER AND PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10 1905.

INVENTORS FPANCIS RALBHIO HT JAMES S-JOSEF'H illlll T v WITNESSES:

C 5:. MW;

ATTORNEYS UNTTE STATES PATENT oTTroia'.

FRANCIS R. ALBRIGHT AND JAMES S. JOSEPH, OF NORRISTOWN,

' PENNSYLVANIA.

POTATO DROPPER AND PLANTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 10, 1906 Application filed August 10, 1905. Serial No. 273,549.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANCIS R. AL- BRIGHT and JAMES S. JosEPrr, citizens of the United States, and residents of Norristown, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Potato 'Droppers and Planters, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention is an improvement in potato droppers and planters; and it consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improvement, partly in section; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

In the practical application of our invention we provide a supporting-frame comprising the longitudinal bars a a, connected at either end by the cross-bars a a andhaving attached to the front end thereof a clevis a A shaft-axle B is journaled in the forward part of the frame, and rigid therewith is a supporting-wheel b. One of the ends of the shaft is extended beyond the frame, as at b, and secured thereto are the sprocket-wheels b 6 A hopper C of suitable size, shape, and material is supported on the frame at the rear of the supporting-wheel, the hopper comprising in the present instance the side walls 0 c, the front wall 0 and the rear wall 0 having therein a longitudinal slot 0 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

A shaft D is journaled in brackets d, supported upon the frame at the rear of the hopper, and rigid with the shaft are a plurality of picker-arms (1, having inserted in the free ends thereof a plurality of needles 61 The outer end of the picker-shaft is provided with a pinion d meshing with the pinion 6 upon the end of the stub-shaft E, journaled in brackets 6 upon the frame, and external to the inion the shaft E is provided with a sproc et wheel 6 connected with the sprocket-wheel b by means of a sprocketchain 6 It will be evident from the description of the above arrangement of gearing that the picker-shaft is rotated in a reverse direction to that of the supporting-wheel. The pickershaft is journaled at such a distance from the hopper that the picker-arms when the shaft is rotated will pass upwardly through the hopper and out at the upper part thereof, the entrance and exit of the arms being permitted by the slot in the rear face of the hopper.

A shaft F is journaled in brackets f at the rear of the frame, and upon the shaft are secured oppositely-disposed pairs of arms f f the individual members of the pairs being spaced apart vertically from each other and the outer ends thereof flaring slightly outward. The end of the shaft is extended beyond the bearing and provided with a sprocket-wheel connected with the sprocket-wheel 6 upon the supporting-wheel shaft by means of the sprocket-chainfi. The shaft D and the shaft F are geared in such relation that one of the pairs of arms upon the shaft F is always in position to engage one of the picker-arms to remove the potato therefrom.

A leg G is arranged below the shaft F for receiving the potato and guiding the same to the furrow. The leg is constructed similarly to the legs of the ordinary wheat-drill, having a flaring top and a pointed bottom, and behind the leg is a wheel H, having a concave periphery and journaled in a bracket h, adjustably mounted in a casing h, secured to the frame. By means of this adjustment the leg may be set to enter the ground to a greater or less extent.

Handles J are secured to the rear of the frame, and hinged to the ends of the longitudinal bars are a plurality of legs K, adapted when the planter is not in use to be folded downwardly to form a support for the frame.

In operation, the hopperbeing filled with potatoes, the planter is drawn along with the leg forming the furrow. The picker-arms are rotated in the reverse direction to the motion of the planter, and the arms pass upwardly through the hopper, the needles transfixing and carrying upward a potato during their passage. The pairs of arms upon the shaft F engage the picker-arms and knock the potato therefrom, which drops into the flarin mouth of the leg and passes down into the furrow. The concaved wheel both steadies the potatoes in their place and aids in covering them with dirt.

As ordinarily constructed the hopper would be of galvanized or sheet iron flaring at the top in front and at the sides, but straight at the back and running to a point at the bottom. WVhile we have described the picker-arms as being provided with a plurality of needles, it is evident that one needle might be used.

Havingthus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In potato droppers and planters, the combination with the frame, of a shaft ournaled in the frame, a supporting-wheel on the shaft, sprocket-wheels on the shaft, a hopper having a slot in its rear face supported behind the shaft, a shaft journaled in the frame behind the hopper, picker-arms on the shaft adapted to pass through the slot, needles on the ends of the picker-arms, a pinion on the end of the shaft, a stub-shaft in front of the picker-shaft and having a pinion meshing with the pinion thereof, a sprocket-wheel on the stub-shaft, a sprocket-chain connecting the sprocket-wheel with the sprocket-wheel of the supporting-wheel shaft, a shaft journaled behind the picker-shaft and provided with a sprocket-wheel on its outer end, oppositely disposed pairs of vertically spaced arms on the shaft, and adapted to register with and to receive the picker-arms therebetween, a sprocket-chain connecting the lastnamed sproclretwheel and the sprocketwheel of the supporting-wheel shaft, a leg below the last-named shaft, an adjustable wheel having a concave peripheral surface behind the leg, handles on the frame, and legs hinged to the frame and adapted to be folded thereupon.

2. In a potato dropper and planter, the combination with the frame, of a container supported on the frame, means for picking the potatoes from the container, comprising a shaft provided with a plurality of arms for engaging the potatoes, means for removing the potatoes from the picker comprising a shaft having oppositely-disposed pairs of arms spaced apart vertically from each other and adapted to receive the picker-arms therebetween, means for guiding the potatoes to the furrow, means for covering the potatoes, and means for supporting and actuating the parts.

FRANCIS R. ALBRIGHT. JAMES S. JOSEPH.

Witnesses:

HENRY 1. Fox, D. F. QUILLMAN, 

